Laravel 13 offers four official starter kits: React, Vue, Svelte and Livewire. Each one gives you a new application with login, registration, password reset and a dashboard already built, so you start with working authentication instead of an empty project. You pick one when you run laravel new, and the installer asks which kit and which authentication provider to use. This article explains what each kit contains and how to choose.
Targets: Laravel 13 (PHP 8.3 to 8.5). The details below come from the official Laravel 13 starter kit documentation. Check that page for the newest options, because kits change between releases.
What does a starter kit give me?
A starter kit is a ready-made application skeleton with a frontend, authentication screens, Tailwind CSS styling and a layout. It is code that lives in your project. You can read it, change it and delete the parts you do not need, which is different from a package you cannot edit.
Which starter kits are available?
- React: an Inertia application using React 19, TypeScript, Tailwind and the shadcn/ui component library.
- Vue: an Inertia application using the Vue Composition API, TypeScript, Tailwind and shadcn-vue.
- Svelte: an Inertia application using Svelte 5, TypeScript, Tailwind and shadcn-svelte.
- Livewire: a Livewire application with Tailwind and the Flux UI component library. It needs no separate JavaScript framework.
Inertia lets you build pages as React, Vue or Svelte components while Laravel handles routing, controllers and validation. You do not have to build a separate API.
How does authentication work in the kits?
Every kit can use Laravel Fortify, which provides the backend authentication logic (login, registration, password reset, email verification and two-factor authentication). Each kit also has a WorkOS AuthKit variant, where WorkOS handles sign-in with options such as social login, passkeys and single sign-on. The WorkOS variant needs a WorkOS account and three environment variables: WORKOS_CLIENT_ID, WORKOS_API_KEY and WORKOS_REDIRECT_URL.
How do I create a project with a starter kit?
Install the Laravel installer once, then create the project:
composer global require laravel/installer
laravel new my-appThe installer asks you to choose a starter kit and an authentication option, along with a few other questions such as the testing framework and the database. After it finishes:
cd my-app
npm install && npm run build
composer run devThe composer run dev script starts the development processes defined in the project's composer.json (the PHP server, the queue worker and the Vite dev server). Open the URL it prints, register an account and you will see the dashboard.
Which kit should I choose?
- You already know React, Vue or Svelte: take the matching Inertia kit and keep working in your language.
- You prefer PHP and Blade-style development: take Livewire. You write interactive components in PHP.
- You need social login or single sign-on quickly: pick the WorkOS variant of the kit you like, and check WorkOS pricing for your user volume.
- You want full control and little code: start from a plain Laravel project and add only what you need.
What should I do after generating the project?
- Read the generated routes, controllers and components. They show the recommended structure.
- Configure your
.envfile, especially the database and mail settings. - Run
php artisan migrateif the installer did not run it for you. - Run the tests that ship with the kit to confirm the setup works:
php artisan test. - Remove features you will not use, such as unused settings pages, to keep the codebase small.
Starter kits versus Breeze, Jetstream and Laravel UI
Older Laravel tutorials use Breeze, Jetstream or Laravel UI. For new Laravel 13 applications, use the starter kits described in the current documentation. If you maintain an older project that uses one of those packages, you do not have to migrate; they continue to work for existing apps as long as they support your framework version.
Common mistakes
- Skipping npm install and build: the pages load without styles or scripts.
- Choosing WorkOS without an account: login fails until the three environment variables are set.
- Treating the kit as a locked package: it is your code now, so change it.
- Mixing two kits: pick one frontend stack per application.
- Following Laravel 10 or 11 tutorials: names and commands have changed.
FAQ
Can I use a kit with an existing project?
Kits are meant for new applications. For an existing project, copy the parts you need or add authentication manually.
Do the kits use Tailwind CSS?
Yes, all four kits use Tailwind CSS. They add different component libraries on top.
Is there a kit without a frontend framework?
The Livewire kit is the closest. It uses Flux UI components and PHP components instead of a JavaScript framework.
